Decorative quilting and sewing has become increasingly popular over the years. A quilt is typically comprised of two or more fabric layers, a top and bottom layer, stitched together between which an intermediate “batting” layer is positioned. The top layer may include decorative quilt blocks and stitching patterns. The batting layer provides insulation and bulk to the quilt, while the bottom layer typically comprises a fabric complementary to the color and designs presented on the top layer of the quilt. The quilting process typically consists of forming continuous patterns of stitches which extend through the top, batting and bottom layers together with such stitches being generally uniform and tightly spaced together.
Quilting may be accomplished in a variety of ways by either hand or machine stitching. A user may operate a substantially conventional compact sewing machine by removing, lowering or disabling the “feed dogs” so as to operate in a “free-motion” and allow the operator to manually move the quilt or fabric layers relative to the machine needle to produce the desired stitching patterns. While home sewing machines have remained dimensionally compact for ease of storage and portability by the operator, quilts and other bedding fabrics have grown in size from regular twin bed cover sizes to broad area quilts in queen, king and “California” king sizes. Such increased quilting area makes it difficult for an operator to place, move and manipulate the fabric layers to be quilted and stitched with ease when the quilt or fabric layers are draped around and over the table or other surface upon which the sewing machine is placed.